NORTHERN IRELAND

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many apprentices working in her Department are (a) paid and (b) completing a qualification as part of their apprenticeship.

Michael Penning: There are no paid apprentices working in the Northern Ireland Office and none who are completing a qualification as part of their apprenticeship scheme.

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) paid apprentices and (b) paid interns are employed in her Department.

Michael Penning: There are no paid apprentices or paid interns employed in my Department.

Gerry McGeough

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment she has made of the imprisonment of Gerry McGeough; what recent reports she has received on his health; and if she will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: Mr McGeough's case has been the subject of a robust and thorough legal process. This is still ongoing and it would therefore not be appropriate for me to comment further on it. The issue of Mr McGeough's health while he is imprisoned is a matter for the devolved Administration.

Marion Price

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment she has made of the imprisonment of Marion Price; what recent reports she has received on her health; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Penning: Mrs McGlinchey's (nee Price) custodial and healthcare arrangements are a devolved matter which falls under the responsibility of the Department of Justice for Northern Ireland.
	Following a recommendation from the independent Parole Commissioners for Northern Ireland (PCNI), Mrs McGlinchey's life licence was revoked by the former Secretary of State after consideration of information which highlighted the risk that she posed to the public.
	A full review of her case by the independent Parole Commissioners is now underway for which Mrs McGlinchey has full legal representation. It is for the Parole Commissioners, not the Secretary of State, to consider her suitability for release. This process is governed by the Life Sentences (Northern Ireland) Order 2001.

Peace 4 Programme

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the allocation of funds to the implementation of the Peace 4 programme; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what progress she has made with the European Commission and European Parliament on the allocation of funds to the Peace 4 programme; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Penning: We are working closely with colleagues in the Treasury and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to ensure that funding is in place for a further PEACE programme for the 2014-20 period.
	We will also continue to work with the devolved Administration and the Irish Government and as appropriate with EU institutions to promote our shared objectives on this issue ahead of the wider EU budget negotiations later this year.

Training

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what media or public speaking training Ministers in her Department have received since May 2010.

Michael Penning: No media or public speaking training has been received by Ministers in my Department since May 2010.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Crown Prosecution Service: Northamptonshire

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Attorney-General what assessment he has made of the (a) best and (b) worst aspects of the performances of the Crown Prosecution Service in Northamptonshire; and what steps he intends to take to improve its performance.

Oliver Heald: The following tables contain key performance indicators for Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Northamptonshire and the corresponding position nationally during the last three years.
	In Crown court performance, CPS Northamptonshire is generally above the national average. Areas of strong and improving performance may be detected in the prosecution of rape cases. Rape attrition in the CPS Northamptonshire is now the sixth best in the country, a substantial improvement brought about by focusing on the quality of case work and increases in specialisation.
	In the magistrates court a recent downward trend in cases with successful outcomes has been detected. Local management have put in place multi-agency arrangements with criminal justice partners for analysing the attendance of witnesses and for better understanding the underlying causes of ineffective trials in order to improve performance and effective use of resources.
	
		
			 Northamptonshire—Crown court prosecutions 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 Convictions 1,016 86.8 993 86.3 993 84.2 
			 Unsuccessful 155 13.2 158 13.7 186 15.8 
			 Total 1,171 — 1,151 — 1,179 — 
		
	
	
		
			 National—Crown court prosecutions 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 Convictions 88,872 80.7 93,106 79.7 86,729 80.9 
			 Unsuccessful 21,274 19.3 23,792 20.4 20,515 19.1 
			 Total 110,146 — 116,898 — 107,244 — 
		
	
	
		
			 Northamptonshire—Rape prosecutions 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 Convictions 23 67.6 28 56.0 51 68.0 
			 Unsuccessful 11 32.4 22 44.0 24 32.0 
			 Total 34 — 50 — 75 — 
		
	
	
		
			 National—Rape prosecutions 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 Convictions 2,270 59.4 2,465 58.6 2,414 62.5 
			 Unsuccessful 1,549 40.6 1,743 41.4 1,450 37.5 
			 Total 3,819 — 4,208 — 3,864 — 
		
	
	
		
			 Northamptonshire—Domestic violence prosecutions 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 Convictions 370 71.8 567 70.0 555 71.0 
			 Unsuccessful 145 28.2 243 30.0 227 29.0 
			 Total 515 — 810 — 782 — 
		
	
	
		
			 National—Domestic violence prosecutions 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 Convictions 53,347 72.0 59,101 71.9 58,138 73.3 
			 Unsuccessful 20,766 28.0 23,086 28.1 21,130 26.7 
			 Total 74,113 — 82,187 — 79,268 — 
		
	
	
		
			 Northamptonshire—Magistrates court CPS charged prosecutions 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 Convictions 1,938 79.9 2,021 77.8 1,292 78.4 
			 Unsuccessful 488 20.1 576 22.2 356 21.6 
			 Total 2,426 — 2,597 — 1,648 — 
		
	
	
		
			 National—Magistrates court CPS charged prosecutions 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 Convictions 182,940 79.0 181,454 78.2 147,297 78.2 
			 Unsuccessful 48,653 21.0 50,685 21.8 41,162 21.8 
			 Total 231,593 — 232,139 — 188,459 — 
		
	
	
		
			 Northamptonshire—Total magistrates courts prosecutions 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 Convictions 7,879 86.9 7,854 85.5 6,288 85.5 
			 Unsuccessful 1,190 13.1 1,328 14.5 1,069 14.5 
			 Total 9,069 — 9,182 — 7,357 — 
		
	
	
		
			 National—Total magistrates courts prosecutions 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 Convictions 757,349 86.8 727,491 86.5 682,523 86.7 
			 Unsuccessful 115,236 13.2 113,492 13.5 105,024 13.3 
			 Total 872,585 — 840,983 — 787,547 —

Harassment

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions the Crown Prosecution Service have brought under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 in each of the last five years.

Oliver Heald: The records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) identify the number of offences charged under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 in which a prosecution commenced, rather than the number of defendants prosecuted. CPS records do not identify the number of defendants prosecuted for specific offences. Rather, they show the number of offences in which a prosecution commenced and reached a first hearing in magistrates courts.
	During the last five years the number of these offences was as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2007-08 38,048 
			 2008-09 36,892 
			 2009-10 34,544 
			 2010-11 34,279 
			 2011-12 28,549

Human Trafficking

Peter Bone: To ask the Attorney-General what his policy is on prosecutions in criminal cases relating to human trafficking.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) published a Public Policy Statement for Prosecuting Cases of Human Trafficking in June 2011. This policy statement emphasises that the CPS considers organised human trafficking to be a very serious crime and prosecutors will do whatever possible to disrupt and combat trafficking, including bringing successful prosecutions. The policy statement explains the way in which the CPS deals with cases of human trafficking and the wide range of other crime associated with it. In addition, the statement is supported by more detailed legal guidance for CPS prosecutors providing up-to-date guidance on the range of criminal offences associated with trafficking, supporting trafficked victims and case management issues.

PRIME MINISTER

G8

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Prime Minister whether the (a) date and (b) location for the G8 summit 2013 has been decided; and if he will publish them.

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  which venues are being considered for the 39th G8 summit;
	(2)  if he will publish a timetable setting out the preparations being made for the 39th G8 summit.

David Cameron: I will announce the date and location of the G8 summit, including a timetable for the UK presidency of the G8, in due course. I look forward to welcoming G8 partners to the UK for this important event.
	I can confirm that the UK will hold a series of preparatory meetings before the summit, at the level of senior officials.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs plans to hold a ministerial meeting with his G8 counterparts, and my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer plans to hold a ministerial meeting with his G7 counterparts and Central Bank Governors.

Irvine Patnick

John Mann: To ask the Prime Minister for how long the then hon. Member for Sheffield, Hallam accompanied the then Prime Minister and her press officer in Sheffield on 16 April 1989.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 18 September 2012, Official Report, column 540W.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012

Tom Harris: To ask the Leader of the House when he expects the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012 to be considered by the House.

Andrew Lansley: The regulations were laid on 12 July and are subject to the affirmative procedure. They will be considered in the normal way and more information will be available through the vote bundle.

DEFENCE

Members: Correspondence

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to reply to the letter of 26 May 2012 from the hon. Member from Bridgend, reference MM/JH/26/07/2012.

Andrew Robathan: I replied to the hon. Member today. I am sorry that it has taken so long to provide a reply.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) paid apprentices and (b) paid interns are employed by the Government Equalities Office.

Jo Swinson: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	On 1 April 2011 the Government Equalities Office ceased to be a separate Government Department. The information requested will be included in the Secretary of State’s reply to your similar questions PQ 123089 and PQ 123090, which relates to the Home Department.

Atos Healthcare

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints his Department received in relation to Atos Healthcare in (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010, (d) 2011 and (e) 2012 to date.

Mark Hoban: The DWP Medical Services Contracts Correspondence Team has received the following volume of complaints about Atos Healthcare, in each of the years requested:
	2008: no data retained prior to 2009
	2009: 214
	2010: 475
	2011: 817
	2012 (to date): 979
	DWP closely monitors the performance of Atos Healthcare, including service delivery and the quality of the work of its health care professionals (HCPs) and this is achieved through a variety of methods, which includes monthly management information, claimant satisfaction surveys and feedback from complaints.
	All customer complaints received are taken seriously and are properly investigated prior to a response being issued.

Housing Benefit

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the potential effects of changes to housing benefit on the operation of sheltered housing.

Steve Webb: We have made no assessment of how changes to housing benefit might affect those in sheltered housing. The under occupation measure, being introduced April 2013, is unlikely to impact on this group as it applies only to those of working age. In a housing context sheltered housing is generally provided for those of pension age and is unlikely to have extra rooms. When universal credit is introduced assistance will continue fundamentally on the same basis.

Housing Benefit

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what provision he has made for persons leaving care as part of any restriction on the payment of housing benefit to claimants under the age of 25.

Steve Webb: Current Government policy does not include withdrawing housing support from people aged under 25.
	Care leavers are currently exempt until age 22 from the shared accommodation rate restrictions that apply to single people claiming housing benefit under age 35.

Housing Benefit: Ashfield

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much discretionary housing payment funding has been allocated to Ashfield for 2012-13.

Steve Webb: The Government contribution towards discretionary housing payments for 2012-13 allocated to Ashfield is £108,356. In addition to this sum, Ashfield district council can contribute funding of their own so that the maximum total expenditure on discretionary housing payments for 2012-13 does not exceed £270,890.

Housing Benefit: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Coventry and (b) the west midlands are expected to receive a reduction to their housing benefit due to the under-occupancy penalty to be introduced in April 2013.

Steve Webb: The information is not available for Coventry.
	The Department for Work and Pensions estimates that the introduction of the social sector size criteria measure is likely to affect an estimated 60,000 working age housing benefit claimants living in the social rented sector in the west midlands at the time of its introduction in 2013-14.
	This estimate is contained in the impact assessment of the housing benefit change, which can be found at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/social-sector-housing-under-occupation-wr2011-ia.pdf

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Ministerial Visits: Nottinghamshire

Mark Spencer: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what ministerial visits to (a) the City of Nottingham and (b) Nottinghamshire have taken place since May 2010.

Nicholas Clegg: I have visited Nottingham and Nottinghamshire three times since coming into office in May 2010. The first occasion was a Town Hall event held with the Prime Minister at a school in Nottingham on 2 October 2010, the second occasion was a Town Hall event held with the Prime Minister at the Boots factory in Nottingham on 24 March 2011 and the third visit was to Nottingham police station on 1 August 2011.

Privy Council

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the name is of each Member of each House of Parliament recommended for appointment to the Privy Council since May 2010; and on what basis each such recommendation was made.

Nicholas Clegg: A list of all Privy Counsellors appointed since May 2010 is available on the Privy Council website:
	http://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk
	Appointments are made by Her Majesty the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister. Those appointed mostly comprise Ministers, other parliamentarians and members of the judiciary.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices: Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the average number of people applying for each apprenticeship vacancy in Warrington was in each of the last five years.

Matthew Hancock: holding answer 17 October 2012
	Table 1 shows the number of apprenticeship programme starts in Warrington local education authority between the 2006/07 and 2010/11 academic years. Data for 2010/11 are the latest year for which final data are available.
	
		
			 Table 1: Apprenticeship programme starts in Warrington local education authority, 2006/07 to 2010/11 
			 Warrington local education authority Number 
			 2006/07 940 
			 2007/08 1,060 
			 2008/09 1,220 
			 2009/10 1,890 
			 2010/11 2,440 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Geographic breakdowns are based upon the home postcode of the learner. 3. Figures are based on the geographic boundaries as of May 2010. Source: Individualised Learner Record 
		
	
	Information on the number of apprenticeship starts by geography is published in a supplementary table to a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 11 October 2012:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statistical firstrelease/sfr_current
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_supplementary_tables/Apprenticeship_ sfr_supplementary_tables/
	Data are not available on the average number of people applying for all apprenticeships in Warrington.
	It is possible to calculate the average number of applications made per vacancy registered on the Apprenticeship Vacancies system in Warrington.
	Employers registered on the Apprenticeship Vacancies system can advertise a vacancy directly on the system or direct candidates to their own website and information is captured in both cases. Information is not captured for vacancies made available by employers who are not registered. Table 2 shows the average number of applications made per vacancy advertised on the Apprenticeship Vacancies system in Warrington in the 2010/11 and 2011/12 academic years.
	
		
			 Table 2: Average number of applications made per vacancy on the Apprenticeship Vacancies system in Warrington, 2010/11 to 2011/12 
			  Average applications made per vacancy 
			 2010/11 10 
			 2011/12 13 
			 Notes: 1. Data are shown from 2010/11 as these are more accurate due to the high level of activity on the system. 2. The vacancies used in the calculation are completed or closed and therefore no more applications can be received to these vacancies. 3. The data excludes nationwide vacancies (eg MOD). Source: Apprenticeship Vacancies data 
		
	
	Online reports from Apprenticeship Vacancies are updated on a monthly basis and published by the Data Service at the following link:
	http://mireportslibrary.thedataservice.org.uk/apprenticeships/apprenticeship_vacancy_reports/

Business: Loans

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on allegations that small businesses in (a) Barnsley Central constituency and (b) nationally were encouraged by banks to take out loans that included swap agreements; and what steps he is taking in this respect.

Michael Fallon: Fixed-rate loans and other loans involving interest rate protection can be legitimate products to help businesses manage the risk of interest rate fluctuations. However, in light of the complicated nature of interest rate swap agreements, their sale is regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA), at arm’s length from Government.
	Following the FSA's review of July this year which found evidence of mis-selling, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has discussed this issue with Lord Turner as Chair of the FSA and also with ministerial colleagues on several occasions at a national level.
	The Secretary of State and officials from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, as well as Ministers and officials from HM Treasury and the FSA, continue to meet with affected businesses and the Federation of Small Businesses to engage with their concerns on this issue, as the banks begin to provide redress for affected customers.
	Members with specific concerns about the FSA's redress process are encouraged to raise these with the FSA directly.

Companies: Codes of Practice

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make it his policy to include grievance mechanisms in the duty to report on bodies listed under the Companies Act 2006.

Jo Swinson: The Government has today published draft regulations to amend narrative reporting, after carrying out two detailed consultations. The Government have no plans to require companies to include grievance mechanisms in their annual reports.

Employer Ownership Scheme

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills further to his announcement regarding the successful first round bidders to the employer ownership pilot made by his Department on 11 September 2012, 
	(1)  what the qualification levels of the 11,000 apprenticeships expected to be created from the fund will be;
	(2)  what individual training or work experience schemes will comprise the 49,000 other learning or training opportunities expected to be created from the fund;
	(3)  what the qualification levels will be of the full-time equivalent non-apprenticeship vocational training opportunities expected to be created from the fund.

Matthew Hancock: A breakdown by qualification level of the provisional number of Apprenticeship and non-Apprenticeship vocational training opportunities expected from the 34 successful Employer Ownership bids announced on 11 September is provided in the following tables. Final numbers will be confirmed following due diligence and Grant Offer Letter negotiations with successful bidders.
	
		
			 Apprenticeships 
			 Level Numbers 
			 Level 2 5,582 
			 Level 3 4,292 
			 Level 4 1,249 
			 Level 5+ 274 
			 Total 11,397 
		
	
	
		
			 Non-Apprenticeship vocational training opportunities (Full Time Equivalent) 
			 Level Numbers 
			 Level 1 2,337 
			 Level 2 13,667 
			 Level 3 4,422 
			 Level 4 3,050 
			 Level 5+ 3,192 
			 Total 26,667 
		
	
	The 49,000 other learning or training opportunities expected will incorporate a wide range of different activities, including work experience, mentoring, internships, industry engagement with schools and developing young peoples' employability skills.

Regional Growth Fund

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 6 September 2012, Official Report, columns 27-8WS, for what reasons each of the bidders withdrew from the first two rounds of the Regional Growth Fund; when each such bidder informed his Department of its intention to withdraw from the process; what the total monetary value was of the bids that withdrew; and whether money previously allocated for bidders that have withdrawn will be reallocated into future rounds of the fund.

Michael Fallon: holding answer 12 September 2012
	To date, 24 bids valued at £87 million have withdrawn from the first two rounds of the Regional Growth Fund. These bidders notified the Department of their intention to withdraw from the process before a final offer was made to them. We do not disclose information about why specific bidders withdrew from the first two rounds as such information has the potential to prejudice the commercial interests of the applicants. With respect to money previously allocated for bidders that have now withdrawn, Ministers are able to reallocate it into future rounds of the fund.

Skills Funding Agency

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 20 December 2011, official report, column 148WS, on skills funding and the Skills Funding Agency (chief executive), whether it remains his policy to amend the legal status of the chief executive of Skills Funding; and what progress he has made in that regard.

Matthew Hancock: It remains our intention to remove the statutory post of chief executive of Skills Funding from legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows. Good progress has been made to streamline and strengthen the governance and accountability arrangements for the Skills Funding Agency and this will provide a firm foundation for the new arrangement.

Trade: Scotland

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills for what reason records of trade between Scotland and other parts of the UK are recorded, but not of Wales and other parts of the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: Data collected by HM Revenue and Customs and the Office for National Statistics are not collected in a way to allow the measurement of trade within the UK, only trade with other countries outside the UK.
	The Scottish Government currently run a ‘Global Connections’ survey to a representative sample of companies operating in Scotland (5,200 in the 2011 sample). This survey is used to estimate trade with other parts of the UK. More details can be found at:
	http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Economy/Exports/GCSIntroduction
	It is a matter for the Welsh Government to decide whether, or how, to collect data on trade links between Wales and the rest of the UK.

TREASURY

Morecambe and Lunesdale: Funding

David Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what funding his Department has allocated to Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency since 2010.

Sajid Javid: HM Treasury allocates funding to other Government Departments, who in turn allocate funds to individual local authorities and other bodies.

Ministerial Visits: Nottinghamshire

Mark Spencer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what ministerial visits to (a) the City of Nottingham and (b) Nottinghamshire have taken place since May 2010.

Sajid Javid: Treasury Ministers' official duties entail visits throughout the United Kingdom. As was the case with previous Administrations it is not normal practice to disclose details of all such visits.

Research

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on research and development in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10, (c) 2010-11 and (d) 2011-12; and how much he plans to spend in (i) 2012-13, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15.

Sajid Javid: Spending on research and development by the core Treasury for 2008-09 and 2009-10 was published in table 7.2 of the Annual Reports available from:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/dep_perf_reports_index.htm
	Data on spending in 2010-11 and 2011-12 are published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in aggregated form at:
	www.bis.gov.uk/policies/science/science-funding/set-stats
	The Treasury does not specifically include an element for research and development in its spending plans. The need for future spending on research and development will be determined by individual teams' work programmes.

Research and Development Tax Credit

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the monetary value is of the research and development tax credits allocated to each sector in each of the last three years; and which 10 companies were allocated the highest amounts in such credits in each such year.

David Gauke: The latest statistics on research and development tax credits are available on the HMRC website and include an industry sector analysis of the cost of R and D tax credit claims for 2010-11. The link to these statistics is provided at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/corporate_tax/rd6.pdf
	The following table shows the Industry sector analysis of cost of R and D tax credit claims, 2008-09 to 2010-11.
	
		
			 Industry sector analysis of cost of R and D tax credit claims, 2008-09 to 2010-11 
			 £ million 
			  2008-09 2009-10 20010-11 
			 Agriculture and fishing — — — 
			 Mining and quarrying 10 5 15 
			 Manufacturing 405 385 365 
			 Distribution of gas, electricity and water 5 10 10 
			 Construction 5 10 10 
			 Wholesale and retail trade, hotels and restaurants 15 20 25 
			 Transport, storage and communication 10 10 10 
			 Financial intermediation 10 5 30 
			 Business services 395 375 410 
			 Public administration and defence 15 15 25 
			 Education, health and social work 5 10 10 
			 Other activities 25 35 35 
			 All 915 885 940 
			 Notes: 1. Industry sector is based on primary SIC2003 coding of registered company. This coding might not correspond to the industry sector of the R and D activity. So caution must be exercised when interpreting these figures. 2. Figures exclude claims where industry sector is not known. 3. Amounts are rounded to the nearest £5 million; those below £2.5 million are suppressed. 
		
	
	HMRC is unable to disclose information on the 10 companies that received the highest amounts in research and development tax credit as this would be a breach of its duty of confidentiality.

Taxation: Combined Heat and Power

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the financial effect on UK refineries of the removal of levy exemption certificates.

Sajid Javid: Budget 2011 announced the ending of the exemption from climate change levy for electricity generated in combined heat and power (CHP) stations and supplied by electricity utilities from 1 April 2013. This exemption was administratively complex and costly to the taxpayer.
	CHP levy exemption certificates are used in the administration of this exemption. Budget 2012 announced that such certificates will not be issued for CHP electricity generated on or after 1 April 2013, but electricity utilities will have five years to use up any stockpile of certificates they hold.
	The impacts of removing the exemption are set out in the Tax Information and Impact Note published at Budget 2012. This can be found on the HMRC website:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/tiin-0700.pdf
	This Government are committed to creating an environment that supports manufacturing within the UK and continues to incentivise CHP overall through public subsidy. The Department of Energy and Climate Change is looking at alternative ways to address barriers to investment in good-quality CHP plants.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Council Tax

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 13 September 2012, Official Report, columns 304-5W, on council tax, what assumptions about collection rates were made in the calculation of the figures given in the tables cited in the answer.

Brandon Lewis: The 2012-13 collection rates for each billing authority, published in the “Council tax levels set by local authorities in England—2012-13” publication here:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/2141741.xls
	were used in the calculations.

Council Tax Benefits

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the likely council tax benefit subsidy reduction in each local authority area in the next financial year.

Brandon Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Nottingham East (Chris Leslie) on 13 September 2012, Official Report, columns 305-06W.
	I also refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement on the additional transitional fund dated 16 October 2012, Official Report, column 14WS.

Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to respond to Malvern Hills district council's bid to the Weekly Collection Support Scheme.

Brandon Lewis: The Weekly Collections Support Scheme fund is over subscribed and all £250 million will be fully allocated so millions of families will receive a weekly residual waste collection and recycling. We will announce the allocations in the coming weeks.

Electric Cables

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of electrical fires caused by counterfeit or falsely marked electrical cabling in each of the last five years.

Brandon Lewis: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Derby North (Chris Williamson) on 18 September 2012, Official Report, column 606W.

Empty Property: Council Tax

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities in England charge 100% council tax for empty properties that have been vacant for over six months; and how many local authorities in England charge 100% council tax for second homes.

Brandon Lewis: As at October 2011, 205 local authorities in England reported that they were charging 100% council tax for long-term empty dwellings ie those that had been empty for more than six months and were not exempt from council tax.
	Under the current legislation, no authority is permitted to charge 100% council tax for dwellings registered as second homes; the maximum they can charge is 90%.

Housing

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations he has received on (a) Regis Group and (b) Thorpe Bay Estates.

Mark Prisk: The Department for Communities and Local Government and the Ministry of Justice have no record of representations on (a) Regis Group or (b) Thorpe Bay Estates in relation to residential leasehold or freehold covenant issues. However, both my Department and Ministry of Justice have received correspondence about an estate owned by these companies.

Local Government Finance

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to announce details of grants to local authorities for 2013-14.

Brandon Lewis: We expect the Local Government Finance settlement for 2013-14 to be announced in late December. This is a consequence of the timing of the autumn statement.

Local Government Finance

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what modelling his Department has undertaken on the likely level of local authority reserves over the next 10 years; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each document relevant to such modelling.

Brandon Lewis: The Department for Communities and Local Government has done no such modelling.

Local Government Finance

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will reinstate the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services county sparsity indicator in the relative needs formulae.

Brandon Lewis: The Technical Consultation on Business Rates Retention, which included proposals regarding sparsity, ended on 24 September 2012. We are now considering responses received to our proposals ahead of the 2013-14 Local Government Finance Settlement.

Local Government Finance

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research his Department has carried out on the significance of population sparsity on the cost of delivering services in predominantly rural areas.

Brandon Lewis: The additional costs of delivering services in rural areas were discussed as part of the work of the Baseline Sub Group of local authority representatives and departmental officials, and the outcomes of this work were reflected in the proposals on sparsity that featured in our recent technical consultation on Business Rates Retention. This follows related discussions on sparsity with other working groups in previous years.

Planning Permission

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many times he has exercised his reserve power under the Planning Act 1990 to call in particular groups of applications and refer them to the Planning Inspectorate for decision.

Nicholas Boles: The following table shows the number of planning cases called-in for decision by the Secretary of State annually since the 2010 General Election.
	
		
			  Number of planning cases called in 
			 2010-11 12 
			 2011-12 6 
			 2012-13(1) 3 
			 Total 21 
			 (1) From 1 April 2012 to 16 October 2012. 
		
	
	For comparison, the number of cases called in the preceding three years are:
	
		
			  Number of planning cases called in 
			 2007-08 29 
			 2008-09 (1)37 
			 2009-10 19 
			 Total 85 
			 (1) The Stansted airport G1 proposals are counted as one case, although included 38 separate applications.

Planning Permission

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information his Department holds on how many (a) planning officers and (b) other staff worked in each local authority planning department in each of the last 10 years.

Nicholas Boles: The Government do not have information about the number of planning officers and other staff that have worked in each local authority planning department in each of the last 10 years. It is a matter for each local authority to decide how to staff council services.

Research

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on research and development in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10, (c) 2010-11 and (d) 2011-12; and how much he plans to spend in (i) 2012-13, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15.

Brandon Lewis: The Department has spent the following on research and development:
	
		
			 Financial year (£ million) 
			 2008-09 25.3 
			 2009-10 31.2 
			 2010-11 22.9 
			 2011-12 7.6 
		
	
	The Department plans to spend the following on research and development:
	
		
			 Financial year (£ million) 
			 2012-13 10.1 
			 2013-14 10.9 
			 2014-15 9.7 
		
	
	The above figures are being kept under regular review.
	I would add that the last Administration spent £25.6 million on research projects that were commissioned but not published before May 2010, and many of those projects did not represent value for money for taxpayers—as evident by the fact that many were unpublished for years.
	This Government have now put in place greater scrutiny and challenge of newly commissioned research programmes to deliver better value for money. Ministers have also taken clear decisions to reduce the Department's administration spending to help tackle the deficit inherited from the last Administration.
	This will ensure that the sums expended in future are reasonable in relation to the public policy benefits from such research.

Social Rented Housing: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) one, (b) two and (c) three bedroom homes for social rent there are in (i) Coventry and (ii) the West Midlands.

Mark Prisk: These statistics are not available in the form requested because the data held on the size/type of social dwellings does not identify those on social rents.

Social Services

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what modelling his Department has undertaken on (a) the likely change in demand for adult social care over the next 10 years and (b) the consequent effect on local authority budgets; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each document relevant to such modelling.

Brandon Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 17 October 2012, Official Report, column 306W.

SCOTLAND

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many apprentices working in his Department are (a) paid and (b) completing a qualification as part of the apprenticeship.

Michael Moore: The Scotland Office does not currently have any apprentices working in the Department.

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) paid apprentices and (b) paid interns are employed in his Department.

Michael Moore: No paid apprentices are employed in the Scotland Office. In August 2012, the Scotland Office had one paid intern as part of the Civil Service Fast Stream 2012 Summer Diversity Internship Programme.

Broadband

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the potential cost to the Scottish economy of the time taken to establish a 4G mobile telecommunications network in Scotland;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect on the Scottish economy of the time taken for the 4G auction.

Michael Moore: The Scottish economy will benefit from the £680 million that the Government is investing in broadband during the lifetime of this Parliament with the aim that the UK should have the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015.
	Ofcom remains on schedule for the auction process for the spectrum at 800 MHz and 2600 MHz to start by the end of 2012. As a result of discussions between the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, Ofcom and the mobile operators, the operators will be able to roll out 4G services in that spectrum some months earlier than previous estimates. The clearance date for transmitters, which impact around 1 million people in and around Glasgow and Edinburgh, will be brought forward by more than three months to April 2013. We expect the rollout of 4G services to provide a significant boost to the UK and Scottish economies.

Broadband: Rural Areas

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government regarding access to broadband in rural areas;
	(2)  what recent correspondence he has had with Scottish Government Ministers or officials on access to broadband in Scotland.

Michael Moore: Ministerial colleagues and I have had discussions with the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise on the importance of broadband access to both rural and urban areas across Scotland. Access to broadband has been discussed at the Scottish Business Board which I chair and at which the Scottish Government is represented. The Scotland Office also works closely with Broadband UK in their engagement with the Scottish Government on delivering broadband for Scotland.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the likely number of antisocial behaviour-related crimes which are not reported to the relevant (a) local police force and (b) local authority.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for what recent estimates have been made of the likely numbers of anti-social behaviour incidents that are not reported to the relevant local police or local authority. (122827)
	No specific estimates have been made regarding the numbers of anti-social behaviour incidents that have not been reported to the police or to a local authority.
	The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW)—a victimisation survey based on a representative sample of adults resident in households in England and Wales—asks respondents about their experiences of anti-social behaviour. Data from the 2011-12 CSEW indicate that 30 per cent of all respondents experienced or witnessed at least one anti-social behaviour incident in the twelve months prior to their interview.
	Of the anti-social behaviour incidents about which respondents were asked further information, an estimated 66 per cent of incidents did not come to the attention of the police (but may have been reported to other organisations) and for an estimated 93 per cent of incidents, the respondent did not inform their local council.

Domestic Violence

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the levels of domestic violence reported by (a) migrants and (b) British nationals were in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated October 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for levels of domestic violence reported by migrants and British nationals. (122244)
	The most robust measure of rates of domestic violence in England and Wales is provided by the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), a victimisation survey based on a representative sample of adults resident in households in England and Wales. Estimates from the CSEW include crimes that are not reported to the police and are unaffected by changes in police recording practice.
	The CSEW defines ‘domestic abuse’ as any non-sexual emotional or financial abuse, threats, physical force, sexual assault or stalking carried out by a current or former partner or other family member which matches the official definition of domestic violence used across government. The CSEW does not ask directly about migrant status. However, the following figures have been produced on the assumption that a UK national is somebody whose main nationality is UK or British and an immigrant is somebody who was not born in the UK, is not of British or UK nationality and has resided in the UK for over 12 months. It is not possible to establish how long respondents who were born in the UK, but did not indicate that their main nationality was British or UK, have been living in the country (these respondents represent a small minority and were excluded from this analysis). Similarly, it is not possible to separate Northern Irish from British nationals. Data from the 2011 /12 CSEW show that 2.9 per cent of ‘immigrants’ had been victim of domestic abuse in the last year. Among ‘UK-Nationals’ 5.6 per cent had been victims of domestic abuse in the last year.
	Domestic abuse is further categorised by partner abuse (any abuse by a current or former partner) and family abuse (abuse by a family member other than a partner; father/mother, step-father/mother or other relative) and these figures are also shown in the table. Some respondents may have suffered both types of abuse and therefore the total is not the sum of the constituent parts.
	
		
			 Prevalence of domestic abuse among UK-national and immigrant groups in the last year among adults aged 16 to 59, 2011/12, CSEW—England and Wales 
			 Adults aged 16 to 59 
			  Percentage who were victims once or more 
			  UK-National Immigrants 
			 Any domestic abuse (non-physical abuse, threats, force or sexual assault) 5.6 2.9 
			 Any partner abuse (non-physical abuse, threats, force or sexual assault) 4.0 1.3 
			 Any family abuse (non-physical abuse, threats, force or sexual assault) 2.1 1.7 
			 Unweighted base(1) 10,208 755 
			 (1) The bases given are for any domestic abuse; the bases for the other measures presented will be similar. Source: Crime Survey for England and Wales, Office for National Statistics

Drugs: Misuse

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the number of drug dealers operating in (a) the Enfield North constituency, (b) London and (c) England.

Jeremy Browne: This information is not collected centrally.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-UK EU nationals have been resident in the UK for (a) less than three months, (b) between three and six months, (c) between six and nine months, (d) between nine and 12 months, (e) between one and two years, (f) between two and three years, (g) between three and four years, (h) between four and five years, (i) between five and six years, (j) between six and seven years, (k) between seven and eight years, (l) between eight and nine years, (m) between nine and 10 years and (n) more than 10 years in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many non-UK EU nationals have been resident in the UK for (a) less than three months, (b) between three and six months, (c) between six and nine months, (d) between nine and 12 months, (e) between one and two years, (f) between two and three years, (g) between three and four years, (h) between four and five years, (i) between five and six years, (j) between six and seven years, (k) between seven and eight years, (I) between eight and nine years, (m) between nine and 10 years and (n) more than 10 years in the latest period for which figures are available.
	The Office for National Statistics collects data on nationality from the Annual Population Survey (APS) which is a household survey of residents of the UK. It should be noted the survey does not include people living in most types of communal establishment. The latest estimates available are for the 12 month period of January to December 2011 and these are shown in the table below. These estimates do not take account of the results of the 2011 Census.
	
		
			 Table 1: Non-UK EU nationals resident in the UK, by period of residency 
			 Thousand 
			  Estimate Confidence interval 
			 Total 2,283 66 
			    
			 0-3 months 2 2 
			 3-6 months 18 6 
			 6-9 months 12 5 
			 9-12 months 32 8 
			 1 year but less than 2 years 141 16 
			 2 years but less than 3 years 138 16 
			 3 years but less than 4 years 151 17 
			 4 years but less than 5 years 215 20 
			 5 years but less than 6 years 217 20 
			 6 years but less than 7 years 229 21 
			 7 years but less than 8 years 152 17 
			 8 years but less than 9 years 64 11 
			 9 years but less than 10 years 52 10 
			 10 or more years 899 41 
			 Note: The 95% confidence interval refers to the margin of error, and is a measure of the uncertainty associated with making inferences from a sample. Source: Annual Population Survey.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of non-UK EU nationals resident in the UK who are aged (a) 50 to 55, (b) 55 to 60, (c) 60 to 65, (d) 65 to 70, (e) 70 to 75 and (f) over 75 years.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated October 2012
	.
	The Office for National Statistics collects data on nationality from the Annual Population Survey (APS) which is a household survey of residents of the UK. It should be noted the survey does not include people living in most types of communal establishment. The latest estimates available are for the 12 month period of January to December 2011 and these are shown in Table 1. These estimates do not take account of the results of the 2011 Census.
	
		
			 Table 1: Estimated non-UK EU national population resident in the United Kingdom, by age group, January to December 2011 
			 Thousand 
			 Age group Estimate CI +/- 
			 50 to 54 88 13 
			 55 to 59 72 12 
			 60 to 64 67 11 
			 65 to 69 54 10 
			 70 to 74 49 10 
			 75 and over 91 13 
			 Note: CI = Confidence Interval Source: Annual Population Survey (APS), ONS 
		
	
	Please note that the age groups have been adjusted to ensure they are non-overlapping. The 95 per cent confidence interval refers to the margin of error, and is a measure of the uncertainty associated with making inferences from a sample.

Organised Crime

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many known people were involved in organised crime in each of the last five years in each region; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many known organised crime groups operated in the UK in each of the last five years in each region; and if she will make a statement.

Jeremy Browne: holding answer 17 October 2012
	Figures relating to the number of organised criminals and groups are collected by the UK's law enforcement agencies and are aggregated by the Organised Crime Co-ordination Centre. National figures on the number of organised criminals and crime groups are published as part of the Home Office's impact indicator on organised crime. However, the Home Office does not publish regional figures on organised crime.

Police

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Gypsy and Traveller liaison officers are employed in each police force in England and Wales.

Damian Green: The requested information is not collected by the Home Office.

Police: Pensions

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the Scottish Police Federation on the potential effect of police pension reform in England and Wales on Scottish officers.

Damian Green: Police pensions for Scottish officers are a matter for the Scottish Government and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department has had no discussions specifically with the Scottish Police Federation on this matter. However, she made her announcement via a written ministerial statement on 4 September 2012, Official Report, column 19WS, on a core design for a new police pension scheme for police officers in England and Wales from 2015 after consultation with the Police Negotiating Board, on which the Scottish Police Federation is represented.

Squatting

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will estimate the total cost of policing for dealing with squatters in (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) 2009, (iv) 2010 and (v) 2011.

Damian Green: The information requested is not held centrally.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of policing the badger cull trials for which licences have been granted.

David Heath: The nature of the policing response will depend on specific intelligence available at the time. However, an estimate of police costs has been developed through discussion with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the Home Office. This initial estimate suggests a cost in the region of £0.5 million/area/year for the four years when culling would take place (i.e. £2 million per area) based on a standard response to maintain public order and safety. These costs are set out in the impact assessment available online:
	http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/atoz/tb/documents/bovine-tb-impact-assessment.pdf

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much money his Department and its agencies have allocated for the vaccination of badgers in (a) the two pilot cull areas for which licences have been granted and (b) the two kilometre ring outside each cull area.

David Heath: DEFRA has created a £250,000 grant scheme, the Badger Vaccination Fund, to support vaccination of badgers in the badger control areas. In 2012-13 the fund will also provide grants to support staff and volunteers from voluntary and community sector organisations wishing to train as lay badger vaccinators.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many badgers in (a) each of the two pilot cull areas and (b) the two kilometre ring surrounding each cull area have been vaccinated.

David Heath: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 October 2012, Official Report, column 297W.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff of his Department and its agencies have been assigned to visit badger cull areas to take DNA samples and conduct sett surveys; how many such surveys (a) have taken place and (b) are expected to take place; and what estimate his Department has made of the total likely cost of such surveys, including the cost of contractor and staff remuneration, transport, accommodation and subsistence.

David Heath: 55 DEFRA network staff have been assigned to visit badger cull areas to take DNA samples and conduct sett surveys. 61.7km(2) of land has been surveyed in West Somerset, and 74.4km(2) in West Gloucestershire. The costs of the licensing and monitoring operations are not calculated in such a way that the fieldwork component can be easily extracted. The estimated total cost of the effectiveness monitoring, for which the bulk of the surveys work was conducted, is £850,000.

Dogs

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what plans his Department has to introduce compulsory microchipping for all dogs;
	(2)  when his Department intends to publish its summary of responses to the consultation on tackling irresponsible dog ownership which closed on 15 June 2012;
	(3)  when he expects to announce his decision on the introduction of compulsory microchipping for dogs, following his Department's recent consultation.

David Heath: The Government recently completed a consultation on a package of proposals to tackle irresponsible ownership of dogs including proposals for the microchipping of dogs. The consultation attracted a higher than expected 27,000 responses which are currently being analysed and summarised. The quantity and complexity of the issues under consideration has delayed progress. We expect to make an announcement soon.

Poultry: Animal Welfare

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to ensure farmed ducks are provided with bathing water;
	(2)  whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure farmed ducks are provided with bathing water;
	(3)  if he will discuss the Duck Assurance Scheme with the duck farming industry with a view to improving welfare standards for farmed ducks.

David Heath: The welfare of ducks is provided for in the general provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007. DEFRA also has a duck welfare code which keepers are required by law to have access to and be familiar with, which encourages high standards of husbandry.
	The Government are committed to improved standards of welfare of all livestock. DEFRA completed a three-year research project in 2007 to assess whether farmed ducks needed bathing water and, if so, how it should be provided. The research suggested that to meet best practice all farmers should give access to sources of bathing water that meet the behavioural needs of ducks under their care, while being mindful of any risk to biosecurity. These findings were built on, with the RSPCA, academics and the duck industry, looking at how water could be provided to ducks in a commercial setting. DEFRA took an active part in the accompanying RSPCA ‘Higher Duck Welfare Programme’ steering group. As a result of this collaborative approach, duck welfare standards have been raised as both the RSPCA's Freedom Foods scheme and the industry's own Duck Assurance Scheme have ensured that their standards reflect the latest research.

Water Charges

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many water companies operate social tariffs; and what the name is of each water company without a social tariff.

Richard Benyon: Water and sewerage companies will be able to introduce social tariffs from April 2013 to reduce charges for individuals who would otherwise have difficulty paying their bill in full.
	The Government are clear that it is for the companies to decide whether or not to bring forward the social tariff as part of overall strategy for addressing water affordability. Social tariffs must be developed in consultation with customers.

Wheat

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of wheat yields in the UK; and whether he has made any assessment of the causes of any change in yield.

David Heath: The provisional UK 2012 wheat yield figure was published as part of the Statistical Notice on UK agriculture and horticulture, and cereals and oilseed rape production on 15 October 2012.
	The provisional UK yield of wheat for 2012 was 6.7 tonnes/hectare which is 13.8% lower than the 2011 yield of 7.7 tonnes per hectare. Yields were variable across the English regions. The highest yield of 7.3 tonnes per hectare was found in the eastern region and the lowest yield was in the north-west and Merseyside at 4.8 tonnes per hectare. With the exception of the eastern region, there has been a notable decrease in yield. The difficult weather this year led to high levels of disease during spring and summer combined with low sunlight levels during the grainfill period were the main reasons for the lower wheat yields.
	The full Statistical Notice is at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/statistics/files/defra-stats-foodfarm-landuselivestock-farmingstats-june-statsrelease-jun2012ukprovcrops-1210151.pdf.
	Final figures are due to be published on 20 December.

TRANSPORT

A1

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet the Transport Minister in the Scottish Government to discuss the A1 road.

Stephen Hammond: Ministers regularly discuss cross-border transport issues with their counterparts in the Scottish Government and would be willing to discuss the A1 road.
	In recognition of the importance of connectivity with Edinburgh, this Government announced in May 2010 that the A1 north of Newcastle would be designated as a route of strategic national importance.

Railway Stations

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding he has allocated to improve railway stations.

Norman Baker: A major programme of station improvements is under way, with several key stations such as Birmingham New Street being significantly enhanced. We are also continuing to fund improvements through the National Stations Improvement Programme, the Access for All programme and the Station Commercial Project Facility. In addition, there are enhancements planned at stations as part of franchise commitments.

Airport Authority Act 1966

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the amendment or repeal of the Airport Authority Act 1966.

Simon Burns: The Airports Authority Act 1965 was repealed in its entirety by the Airports Authority Act 1975. The 1975 Act was itself wholly repealed by the Airports Act 1986.

Airports

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with Sir Howard Davies on the likely workload of the independent commission on options for future UK hub airport capacity prior to the timeframe for its completion being set.

Simon Burns: The Government are in the process of establishing the independent Airports Commission and will announce its full membership and terms of reference shortly. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport set out the remit and time scale for the Commission in his written ministerial statement of 7 September 2012, Official Report, columns 40-42WS.

Association of British Insurers

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have met representatives from the Association of British Insurers in the last 12 months.

Stephen Hammond: The Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Transport met with representatives from major motor insurers on 14 February 2012 to discuss action that can be taken to reduce the number of claims for whiplash which contribute significantly to the cost of settling motor insurance claims. The Secretary of State chaired a further meeting with the insurance industry on 2 May. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) was present at both meetings.
	In addition the Secretary of State met with the ABI on Monday 23 April 2012 for a wider discussion on motor insurance issues.
	As a result of these discussions the Department has met with industry on a further four separate occasions to discuss the work the Department is collectively doing with industry on young drivers.

Aviation: South East

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward a national policy statement on aviation capacity in the south-east.

Simon Burns: The Government are in the process of establishing the independent Airports Commission chaired by Sir Howard Davies. The Commission will present a final report in the summer of 2015 containing materials to support the Government in preparing a national policy statement.

Bus Services

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of (a) local authority and (b) privately-run bus services in England outside of London that have been (i) reduced or (ii) withdrawn since May 2010.

Norman Baker: Detailed figures for local bus service registrations, variations and cancellations are made publically available by Traffic Commissioners in their Annual Report, which is published on the Department for Transport website.
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/traffic-commissioners-annual-reports
	Variations can include services where the frequency has reduced, increased or where a route change has been registered. More detailed figures on the reason for the variation are not available. No estimation has been made of whether a local bus service which is varied or cancelled is funded commercially or through the local authority. It is also possible for a registered service to have an element of both types of funding.

Bus Services

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many local transport authorities are currently taking the legal steps required to introduce a Quality Contract for local bus services;
	(2)  how many local authorities have contacted his Department with regard to a Quality Contract for local bus services since May 2010.

Norman Baker: The Department maintains an ongoing dialogue on many transport issues with local authorities and their representatives. Quality contract schemes will have been raised from time to time as part of these discussions.
	There are two local transport authorities (Metro—West Yorkshire and Nexus—Tyne and Wear) currently taking the legal steps required to introduce a quality contract scheme. Metro consulted on a Public Interest Statement between June and September 2012. Nexus has produced a draft scheme upon which it is currently consulting. We are not aware whether any other local authorities have considered whether a quality contract scheme is appropriate for their area.

Bus Services

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what additional (a) regulatory powers and (b) funding for local authorities are proposed under the Better Bus Areas policy.

Norman Baker: As part of wider bus industry reforms, the Government intends to designate a limited number of geographical areas as new 'Better Bus Areas' via a competitive process.
	The full details of the proposal are yet to be settled as they form part of the ongoing consultation on bus subsidy reform. However, the intention is for the Department for Transport to provide a grant to the leading local transport authority in each of the new Better Bus Areas.
	This grant will comprise devolution of the Bus Service Operator Grant (BSOG) currently paid with respect to commercial bus services operating within the Better Bus Area and a top up grant, proportional to the size of the devolved BSOG.
	No decisions on the size of the top-up fund have yet been taken. We will be mindful of views on this put forward in response to the consultation on bus subsidy reform.
	No new regulatory powers are currently envisaged as part of the policy other than to provide for the devolution of BSOG in Better Bus Areas.

Bus Services: Bristol

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding his Department has contributed to bus-based rapid transit in Greater Bristol; and what such funding has been allocated to (a) Long Ashton to Temple Meads, (b) Hengrove to North Fringe and (c) the South Bristol Link routes.

Norman Baker: The Department has allocated the following maximum levels of funding to the three Bus Rapid Transit schemes in the Greater Bristol area:
	(a) Long Ashton to Temple Meads: £34.508 million
	(b) Hengrove to North Fringe: £51.101 million
	(c) South Bristol Link route: £27.6 million
	This funding will be provided subject to the satisfactory completion of all the remaining legal and procurement processes associated with these schemes.
	This represents a huge investment in public transport for Bristol from the coalition Government, and comes on top of other recent announcements, such as the decision to electrify the main line from London to Bristol.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contact or correspondence his Department has made of respondents to the High Speed 2 consultation run by Dialogue by Design; whose contribution was omitted from the original analysis; and if they will publish the details of any such contact.

Simon Burns: All those affected—by the statement on 17 July about 413 responses omitted from the original consultation analysis and by the statement on 18 September about 722 responses where the answers to one or more of the seven consultation questions were not analysed— have been contacted by email with a letter explaining the details of their particular case.
	A list of organisations (who had not marked their response ‘confidential') affected is included in each Consultation Summary Addendum Report. In line with the Data Protection Act, individual details and correspondence would not be published.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to undertake full checks of the process and quality assurance of every aspect of the HS2 project.

Simon Burns: All major projects are reviewed at every stage of their development by the major projects authority to ensure that they are delivered as efficiently as possible and provide the best possible value for taxpayers' money. This regular analysis is used to improve delivery of HS2, a vital infrastructure project needed to provide the rail capacity our network needs for the future.

Insurance

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have met representatives of individual insurance companies in the last 12 months.

Stephen Hammond: The Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Transport met with representatives from major motor insurers on 14 February 2012 to discuss action that can be taken to reduce the number of claims for whiplash which contribute significantly to the cost of settling motor insurance claims. The Secretary of State chaired a further meeting with the insurance industry on 2 May.
	As a result of these discussions the Department has met with industry on a further four separate occasions to discuss the work the Department is collectively doing with industry on young drivers.

Land Use

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the European Commission on the introduction of indirect land use change factors into the Renewable Energy Directive and Fuel Quality Directive.

Norman Baker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Garston and Halewood (Maria Eagle) on 15 October 2012, Official Report, column 231W

Railways

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new passing loops have been added to the rail network in each of the last 10 years.

Simon Burns: The Department does not hold this information. Network Rail's website gives details of completed Network Changes at:
	http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browsedirectory.aspx?root=&dir= %5cnetwork%20code%5cnetwork%20change% 5cCompleted%20Proposals

Railways

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the average cost of introducing a passing loop on the rail network.

Simon Burns: The Department does not hold this information. Network Rail's website gives some examples of Network Change schemes together with their costs at:
	http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browsedirectory.aspx?dir= %5Cnetwork%20code%5Cnetwork%20change&root

Railways: Veterans

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an assessment of the potential cost of extending the armed forces rail card scheme to veterans; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: The HM Forces Railcard is administered by the Association of Train Operating Companies on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. It would be for them to assess the cost of extending eligibility for the HM Forces Railcard to former Forces personnel.

Transport: Finance

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress his Department has made in delivering the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.

Norman Baker: Since publication of 'Creating Growth, Cutting Carbon' last year, we have concluded 3 rounds of funding for small and large projects. In total, the Department for Transport has committed the entire £600m, from which it has awarded a total of 96 packages to 77 authorities across England, outside London. Some approved schemes have already been completed.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Broadband Delivery UK

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many full-time equivalent staff there were in Broadband Delivery UK in each quarter since May 2010.

Edward Vaizey: Broadband Delivery UK joined the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as a machinery of government change in April 2011. For this reason, figures for full-time equivalent staff only exist from this date onwards. Figures are provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Quarter Full-time equivalent staff 
			 2011 April-June 47.08 
			  July-September 49.86 
			  October-December 50.97 
			    
			 2012 January-March 49.28 
			  April-June 65.77 
			  July-September 75.77

Broadband: Members

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether she has had recent discussions on the broadband speed of constituency offices for hon. Members.

Edward Vaizey: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has had discussions with Broadband Delivery UK about the UK having the best superfast broadband network in Europe, including 90% of households having access to superfast broadband and universal 2 Mbps broadband, but no specific discussions have taken place about the speed of broadband to constituency offices for hon. Members.

Broadband: Nottinghamshire

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what progress her Department has made on its commitment for 90% of Nottinghamshire premises to have at least 24 mbps broadband and universal access to a minimum of 2 mbps before 2015.

Edward Vaizey: We continue to make progress towards our target of ensuring the UK has the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015, including 90% of households having access to superfast broadband and universal 2 mbps broadband. The Nottinghamshire project is due to commence procurement in December 2012.

Internet

Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent estimate she has made of the number of (a) people and (b) households in (i) the South East, (ii) East Sussex and (iii) Hastings and Rye constituency who do not use the internet.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what estimate has been made of the number of (a) people and (b) households in (i) the South East, (ii) East Sussex and (iii) the Hastings and Rye constituency who do not use the Internet. (122587)
	Estimates of Internet use by adults aged 16 years and over are published quarterly by the Office for National Statistics and are available on the Office for National Statistics website. These estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and have coverage of the United Kingdom (UK). The latest available estimate (in respect of 2012 Q2) of the number of adults who have never used the Internet in the South East is 843,000. The estimate for East Sussex is 67,000. Estimates at parliamentary constituency level are not available.
	Estimates of household Internet access are published on an annual basis by the Office for National Statistics and are also available on the Office for National Statistics website. These estimates are derived from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey. Estimates are available by region, but for Great Britain only. The latest available estimate (in respect of 2012) of the number of households in the South East without Internet Access is 567,000. It is not possible, from this survey, to produce estimates of household Internet access by county, local authority area or constituency.

Staff

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many full-time equivalent staff there were in her Department in each quarter since May 2010.

Hugh Robertson: The following table shows the numbers of full-time equivalent staff within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for the period since May 2010.
	
		
			  Quarter Full-time equivalent staff 
			 2010 April-June 470.5 
			  July-September 453.95 
			  October-December 434.37 
			    
			 2011 January-March 443.15 
			  April-June 480.2 
			  July-September 485.1 
			  October-December 472.6 
			    
			 2012(1) January-March 483.5 
			  April-June 481.1 
			  July-September 450.6 
			 (1) The rise in the number of full-time equivalent staff during 2011-12 was to ensure delivery of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many apprentices working in his Department are (a) paid and (b) completing a qualification as part of the apprenticeship.

Gregory Barker: DECC has three current paid apprenticeships all working towards a qualification.

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many (a) paid apprentices and (b) paid interns are employed in his Department.

Gregory Barker: DECC has three paid apprenticeships and four paid interns.

British Gas

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will consider the merits of nationalising British Gas.

John Hayes: We have no plans to renationalise any part of the energy market. The Government are committed to promoting an open, competitive energy market, and supporting consumers to save energy, both of which will help to keep consumers' bills as low as possible.
	The Government have cut red tape to help small suppliers compete on a level playing field with larger, more established, suppliers and is also taking steps to facilitate new entrants. In addition we will shortly introduce the energy Bill that will reform the electricity market in ways that promote competition.

Electricity

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the total electricity demand within the UK; and what his estimate is of the likely level of such demand in 2015.

John Hayes: Projections of electricity demand within the UK are published in DECC's Energy and Emission Projections, which was most recently updated on 15 October 2012:
	www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/about/ec_social_res/analytic_projs/en_emis_projs/en_emis_projs.aspx
	Demand projections, including non-electricity generation energy industry use and losses are provided in Annex E: Total Electricity Generation where on the central scenario demand is projected to be 359.7 TWh in 2012 and 346.8 TWh in 2015.

Electricity Generation

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what constraint payments are; and how much has been paid in respect of such payments in each of the last five years.

John Hayes: National Grid undertakes a number of activities to fulfil its role of balancing the demand and supply of electricity on the transmission system. One of these activities involves making constraint payments to generators to either increase or decrease their planned output in order to resolve bottlenecks (known as constraints) on the transmission system. This is a competitive market in which National Grid is incentivised to pick the most cost-effective way to deliver what is required.
	Constraint costs over the last five years are as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2007-08 70 
			 2008-09 263 
			 2009-10 139 
			 2010-11 170 
			 2011-12 328 
			 Source: National Grid published data

Energy: Meters

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to encourage the manufacture of smart meters in the UK.

John Hayes: While primary manufacturing is mainly completed outside of the UK, meter design, research, calibration, configuration and manufacturing expertise can all be utilised in this country. However, as the programme is industry led, it will be for the energy suppliers to decide precisely how the mass roll-out of smart meters is sourced.

Heating Oil

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will estimate how many households are living off-grid by (a) constituency and (b) local authority.

John Hayes: The exact number of households who are off the gas grid is not held centrally.
	Estimates have been produced based on information held from two administrative sources; these are the Gemserv database on the location of electricity meters, and data from xoserve and independent gas transporters on the location of gas meters. Subtracting the number of gas meters from the number of electricity meters produces a broad estimate of the number of off grid properties. However, some households can have more than one electricity meter associated with their property (for instance, a supply for communal facilities such as stairwell lighting or a lift). Additionally, the standard gas industry definition of domestic use uses a consumption threshold, with any consumer using less than 73,200 kWh of gas per year being classed as a domestic user; it is estimated that—Great Britain wide—this definition allocates around 2 million small business users as domestic. Furthermore a small number of meters (less than one third of one percent) do not have sufficient information associated with them to be able to allocate them to a specific area. The underlying data on the number of gas and electricity meters in each local authority is available on the Departments website at:
	www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/energy_stats/regional/electricity/electricity.aspx
	www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/energy_stats/regional/gas/gas.aspx
	The table showing, for 2010, the number of domestic electricity meter points, the number of gas meter points where consumption was less than 73,200kWh, and the difference between the two figures, which forms an estimate of the number of households off the gas grid, will be placed in the Libraries of the House. The number of installed meters by parliamentary constituency level is not currently available, and as such this analysis cannot be produced for parliamentary constituencies.

Heating Oil: Durham

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will estimate the average annual heating oil fuel bill in North West Durham constituency in each of the last five years.

John Hayes: The information requested is not available.
	The following table shows the average cost per 1,000 litres of heating oil for the last five years, for the UK.
	
		
			  Average annual price for heating oil £/1,000 litres 
			 2008 522.10 
			 2009 366.76 
			 2010 475.49 
			 2011 618.48 
			 2012 617.92 
		
	
	In addition, estimates from the Living Cost and Food Survey suggest the average annual household spend on heating oil in the UK, for households which use oil central heating, was approximately £1,150 in 2010.

Heating: Pipelines

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what arrangements are in place to permit the burying of district heating pipes in the streets for combined heat and power and district heating schemes.

Gregory Barker: The Department is working with a range of local authorities, cities, trade associations, energy service companies and other key stakeholders to identify barriers and issues around the installation of heat networks. The practical arrangements for permission to install district heating will be one of the issues addressed in our forthcoming policy document on low carbon heating. There are currently no special arrangements in place for the installation of heat pipes under streets, railway lines or waterways.

HEALTH

Annual Reports

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish his Department's annual report and accounts for 2011-12.

Daniel Poulter: The Department's annual report and accounts for 2011-12 was today laid before Parliament.

Apprentices

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many apprentices working in his Department are (a) paid and (b) completing a qualification as part of the apprenticeship.

Daniel Poulter: At present, the Department does not have apprentices working in the organisation.

Brain Cancer

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent from the public purse on brain cancer research in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 to date.

Daniel Poulter: Expenditure by the Department on brain cancer research through research programmes, research centres and units, and research training awards is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2009-10 0.3 
			 2010-11 0.9 
			 2011-12 0.7 
		
	
	In addition, the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network (CRN) is currently hosting 24 trials and other well-designed studies in cancers of the brain and nervous system that are in set-up or recruiting patients. Details can be found on the UK CRN portfolio database at:
	http://public.ukcrn.org.uk/search
	Data for spend on brain cancer research through the CRN cannot be disaggregated from total CRN expenditure, diagnosis onwards.

Brain Cancer

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve early diagnosis rates of persons with brain cancer.

Anna Soubry: On 12 January 2011, we published “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”, which sets out how the Government had committed over £450 million over the following four years to support earlier diagnosis of cancer. This money is being used to raise awareness of the symptoms of cancer; fund increased general practitioner (GP) access to diagnostic tests; and pay for more testing and treatment in secondary care. One of the tests we are increasing access to is magnetic resonance imaging to support the diagnosis of brain tumours, and we have now published best practice referral guidelines for GPs on how to access this test.
	The strategy also set out our commitment to work with a number of rarer cancer-focused charities to assess what more can be done to encourage appropriate referrals to secondary care and to diagnose rarer cancers earlier. Further work has been undertaken with a number of these charities, including those concerned with brain cancer, with the aim of identifying some of the barriers to early diagnosis and to discuss potential solutions. As a result, we are hoping to pilot a more general symptom awareness campaign later this year that will be relevant to a range of cancers, including brain cancer.
	We are currently investigating a possible new metric around the proportion of cancer diagnosed through emergency routes, as there is a relationship between the route to diagnosis and the stage at diagnosis. We know that a large proportion of brain cancers are diagnosed through emergency routes and so monitoring routes to diagnosis will help us assess progress on tackling late diagnosis.

Caesarean Sections

Therese Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Caesarean sections were carried out in the NHS in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10, (c) 2010-11 and (d) 2011-12.

Daniel Poulter: The following table gives the number of deliveries by caesarean section for the specified financial years. It should be noted that this only includes deliveries within national health service hospitals in England.
	Data for 2011-12 are not yet available, and will be published by the NHS Information Centre on 6 December 2012.
	
		
			 Count of finished consultant delivery episodes where caesarean section was the method of delivery, with the total number of deliveries taking place in NHS hospitals in England for 2008-09 to 2010-11 
			  Number of caesarean sections 
			 2008-09 154,814 
			 2009-10 157,356 
			 2010-11 162,512 
			 Source: NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care

Care Homes

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on funding for the development of extra care accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: In July 2012, the Government published the care and support White Paper, “Caring for our Future: reforming care and support”. Following extensive engagement with the social care sector, the vision for reform set out in the White Paper was agreed across Government, following discussions between the relevant departmental Ministers including the Department for Communities and Local Government.
	The White Paper set out Government's intention to establish a new care and support housing fund, providing £200 million of capital funding over five years from 2013-14 to encourage providers to develop specialised housing for older people and disabled adults. We have since announced that this fund will be boosted to up to £300 million.
	Since publication of the White Paper, the Department of Health and the Department for Communities and Local Government have continued to work closely together and with key partner organisations and we expect to publish further details shortly.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many fatalities were caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in each of the last five years; and how many and what proportion of such cases were due to occupational exposure.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated October 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking (a) how many fatalities were caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in each of the last five years; and (b) how many and what proportion of such cases were due to occupational exposure. (122350)
	The following table shows (a) the number of deaths where chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was the underlying cause of death and (b) the number and proportion of all COPD deaths where the underlying cause of death was COPD and the coroner's verdict returned after inquest was 'industrial disease' for 2007 to 2011 (the latest year available).
	All deaths that may be due to an industrial disease or related to the deceased's employment are required to be referred to the coroner. However, only about 17 per cent of all COPD deaths were referred to a coroner in each year between 2007 and 2011. The contribution of occupation to COPD may be difficult to conclude from post mortem results and coroners may not have appropriate evidence to attribute death to occupational exposure. Therefore, the numbers and, consequently, the proportions of COPD deaths due to occupational exposure presented in the table below may be an underestimate of the true figures of occupation-related COPD deaths in England and Wales.
	Further information about COPD in Great Britain is available on the Health and Safety Executive website at:
	http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/copd/copd.pdf
	
		
			 Number of deaths where the underlying cause of death was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and number and proportion of deaths related to occupational exposure, England and Wales, 2007 to 20111, 2, 3 
			 Number/percentage 
			  COPD COPD related to occupational exposure Proportion (percentage) of all COPD related to occupational exposure 
			 2007 23,727 247 1.0 
			 2008 24,816 275 1.1 
			 2009 23,318 252 1.1 
			 2010 23,870 188 0.8 
			 2011 24,527 193 0.8 
			 (1) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. (2) Figures include deaths of non-residents. (3) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes J40 to J44. Source: Office for National Statistics

Drugs: Prices

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the implementation of value-based pricing in the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: We continue to work towards the intended introduction of value-based pricing for medicines in 2014.

Hazardous Substances

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS personnel are currently trained to (a) treat and (b) decontaminate patients contaminated with chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear material.

Daniel Poulter: The actual number of personnel trained to treat and decontaminate patients contaminated with chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear material is not held centrally but would be available from the appropriate employing organisation.

Health Services: Greater London

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many staff will be employed by the (a) Harrow and (b) Brent clinical commissioning groups; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many staff are employed by the (a) Harrow and (b) Brent primary care trusts; and if he will make a statement.

Daniel Poulter: The information on numbers of staff to be employed by the two specified clinical commissioning groups is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact his local national health service organisations for information.
	The numbers of staff employed by each of the two specified primary care trusts as at 30 September 2011 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 NHS hospital and community health services (HCHS): NHS staff in each specified organisation by main staff group as at 30 September 2011 
			 Headcount 
			  Brent Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT) Harrow PCT 
			 All NHS staff 1,053 692 
			    
			 All GPs (including GP retainers and GP registrars)(1) 240 184 
			 GP practice staff(2) 545 507 
			 of which:   
			 Practice nurses 86 95 
			    
			 HCHS doctors and dentists(3) 4 (4)— 
			    
			 All non-medical staff 264 1 
			    
			 Professionally qualified clinical staff 20 (4)— 
			 Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 10 (4)— 
			 All qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff 10 (4)— 
			    
			 Support to clinical staff 5 1 
			 Support to doctors and nursing staff 5 1 
			    
			 NHS infrastructure support 239 (4)— 
			 Central functions 123 (4)— 
			 Hotel, property and estates 23 (4)— 
		
	
	
		
			 Manager and senior manager 93 (4)— 
			 (1) All GPs include GP providers, Other GPs, GP registrars and GP retainers. (2) Practice staff includes practice nurses, direct patient care staff, admin and clerical and others. (3) Excludes hospital practitioners and clinical assistants in headcount, most of these also work as a GP. (4 )Zero. Notes: 1. A few NHS organisations existed within the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) database with small numbers of staff as a result of the impact of Transforming Community Services and the resultant system mergers and demergers which were still ongoing at the time of the 2011 census. 2. Data Quality: The Health and Social Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census.

Infectious Diseases

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS personnel are currently trained to deal with patients with hazardous infections.

Daniel Poulter: The information requested is not held centrally.

Infectious Diseases: Hospital Beds

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many high security isolation beds suitable for patients with hazardous infections are available (a) within the NHS and (b) within any non-NHS organisation.

Daniel Poulter: Within the national health service, two high security isolation beds are available in London, which can be increased to four in case of need and further capacity is currently being developed in Newcastle.
	These are reserved for only the most serious or hazardous cases and the vast majority of patients with infectious diseases are treated safely and effectively in their local hospitals, all of which have isolation facilities.
	The Department does not hold information on the number of beds in non-NHS organisations.

London Ambulance Service

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trained staff employed by the London Ambulance Service were available to respond to 999 calls on 30 September (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact the London Ambulance Service.

NHS: Independent Reconfiguration Panel

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS service reconfigurations he has referred from local health overview and scrutiny committees to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel since May 2010.

Anna Soubry: The Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) has been commissioned to undertake two full reviews and 13 initial assessments from May 2010 to date. A full list of IRP work is available on the IRP website at:
	www.irpanel.org.uk

NHS: Pay

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average salary was of an NHS (a) nurse, (b) midwife and (c) health visitor in (i) the latest period for which figures are available and (ii) each year since 1997.

Daniel Poulter: The average salary of a national health service nurse, midwife and health visitor is not collected separately from the average salary for qualified nurses working in Hospital and Community Health Services.
	Provisional experimental data for the period July 2011 to June 2012 estimate mean total earnings for a full-time equivalent (FTE) midwife of £38,000 and for a FTE health visitor of £35,700. Data for previous years are not available.
	The following table shows the estimated mean of total earnings for qualified nurses (including midwives and health visitors) since 1997-98. The latest figure available is for 2012-13, which corresponds to the first quarter of 2012-13 (April to June 2012).
	
		
			 Qualified nurse 
			  Estimated mean of total earnings per FTE (£) 
			 1997-98 20,800 
			 1998-99 21,000 
			 1999-2000 22,300 
			 2000-01 23,400 
			 2001-02 24,700 
			 2002-03 25,700 
			 2003-04 26,300 
			 2004-05 27,700 
			 2005-06 28,800 
			 2006-07 29,900 
			 2007-08 31,100 
			 2008-09 32,400 
			 2009-10 33,500 
			 2010-11 34,400 
			 2011-12 34,600 
			 2012-13 34,800 
			 Notes: 1. Average salaries are estimated from the qualified nurse paybill figures using NHS accounts data together with the NHS pension scheme rates, and national insurance rates and thresholds that apply to NHS employers. 2. The paybill data include all qualified nurses employed by NHS trusts, primary care trusts, strategic health authorities and foundation trusts in England. They exclude agency nurses. 3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Sources: Department of Health Paybill Model 2008-09 Department of Health Paybill Model 2011-12 Trust Financial Returns and Foundation Trust Annual Reports (Paybill data) Information Centre Workforce Census

NHS: Procurement

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to commission an evaluation of the first phase of the Any Qualified Provider programme.

Anna Soubry: The Department has commissioned an independent review of the process for qualifying providers under Any Qualified Provider (AQP) arrangements in 2012-13. The findings of the evaluation will be published later this year. There will be subsequent evaluations of the impact of the AQP commissioning approach on service quality.

NHS: Research

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what incentives his Department has established for clinicians to undertake research.

Daniel Poulter: The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) supports and incentivises clinicians to undertake research in a number of ways.
	The NIHR Clinical Research Networks aim to ensure health care professionals and patients from all parts of the country are able to participate in and benefit from clinical research. The Comprehensive Clinical Research Network funds the sessions of clinical consultants spent on non-commercial trials and studies supported by the network.
	Through its training and career development programmes, the NIHR supports clinicians at all stages of their career: integrated clinical and academic training; doctoral training; postdoctoral training; and more senior awards. The prestigious NIHR Senior Investigator award provides an additional incentive for the country's most outstanding clinical researchers.
	The NIHR Research Design Service offers advice and support on research design and methodology to researchers making funding applications and doing research within the health research system.

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust: Redundancy

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust over its decision to issue HR1 forms to its employees.

Daniel Poulter: No discussions have taken place between the Department's Ministers and North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust over its decision to issue HR1 forms to its employees. All foundation trusts have the freedom to determine terms and conditions, including pay, for the staff they employ.

Paramedics: Crimes of Violence

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many paramedics in (a) England, (b) the east midlands, (c) Nottinghamshire and (d) Ashfield constituency were injured as a result of assaults while on duty in the last 12 months.

Daniel Poulter: The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The number of physical assaults against staff reported by national health service bodies in England has been collected annually since 2004-05. This information does not indicate the professional category of staff or the constituency in which assaults take place.
	Information on the number of reported physical assaults against NHS staff in 2010-11 is contained in the tables showing the number of reported physical assaults on NHS staff in 2010-11, broken down by NHS trust/PCT, which have already been placed in the Library.

Patients: Safety

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidents recorded in the National Patient Safety Agency's National Reporting and Learning System were classified as “never events” in each year since 2008.

Daniel Poulter: The “never events” framework was introduced to the national health service in England in April 2009. Therefore, there is no data available on “never events” reported to the National Reporting and Learning System (NRLS) prior to April 2009.
	The number of “never events” reported to the NRLS in each complete financial year since April 2009-10 is shown in the following table;
	
		
			  Number of never events reported 
			 2009-10 111 
			 2010-11 56 
			 2011-12 163 
			 Notes: 1. In each year, the definitions and types of incidents included in the national list of never events have changed. For example, 2011-12 saw the number of never event categories included in the list increase from eight to twenty-five. This means it is not possible to compare the number of never events reported in each year or draw conclusions about trends in the safety of NHS services from this data. 2. For 2009-10, information on numbers and descriptions of never events were produced using text searches of the NRLS for specific words or phrases across categories and in free text fields, the latter are individual to the reporter, and may contain spelling errors, typing errors or abbreviations that make it difficult to group similar incidents. Because of the technical challenges inherent in accounting for variations in describing a given incident, results from this method should be interpreted carefully. 3. For 2010-11 and 2011-12, NHS organisations were asked to identify incident reports relating to never events in the free text of their incident report to the NRLS. The NRLS data was then derived by carrying out a search for the term ‘never events’ in the free text of all the NRLS incident reports. In addition, for 2011-12, probable never events, identified from regular reviews of incidents reported to the NRLS as involving severe harm or death, are included, This method therefore relies on the reporter appropriately classifying the incident as a never event, or the never event being identified through the review of severe harm/death incidents. 4. Information on never events in the NHS is also available from NHS organisations' own reporting systems and the Strategic Executive Information System.

Streptococcus

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will ensure that the four reports commissioned through the Government's Health Technology Assessment Programme that found screening to be more cost-effective than risk-based prevention strategies will be considered by the UK National Screening Committee during the current review of screening for group B streptococcus;
	(2)  whether relevant high-quality randomised controlled trials are required by the National Screening Committee before introducing a new screening programme in the UK;
	(3)  what steps he is taking to ensure UK rates of group B streptococcus decline;
	(4)  what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all hospitals in England use the method described in the Health Protection Agency's National Standard Method BSOP58 when checking pregnant women for group B streptococcus.

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will ensure that data on the rates of potentially preventable early onset group B streptococcus infection in the UK will be considered as part of the evidence in the National Screening Committee's review of screening for group B streptococcus;
	(2)  if he will ensure that the National Screening Committee review of testing for group B streptococcus takes into account evidence from other countries when making their decision.

Daniel Poulter: The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises Ministers and the national health service in all four UK countries about all aspects of screening policy, including screening policy for group B streptococcus (GBS) carriage in pregnancy. In 2008-09 the UK NSC recommended that a national screening programme to test for GBS carriage in pregnancy using the enriched culture medium test should not be offered.
	The UK NSC is currently reviewing the evidence for screening for GBS carriage in pregnancy against its criteria again. As part of the UK NSC's review the following National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) reports have been considered by the UK NSC:
	Colbourn T, Asseberg C, Bojke L et al. Prenatal screening and treatment strategies to prevent group B streptococcal and other bacterial infections in early infancy: cost effectiveness and expected value of information analyses. Health Technol Assess (Winchester, England). 2007;11(29).
	Daniels J, Gray J, Pattison H et al. Rapid testing for group B streptococcus during labour: a test accuracy study with evaluation of acceptability and cost-effectiveness. Health Technol Assess (Winchester, England). 2009;13(42)
	The UK NSC's internationally recognised criteria for appraising the viability, effectiveness and appropriateness of a screening programme states that there should be evidence from high quality randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that the screening programme is effective in reducing mortality or morbidity. The UK NSC acknowledges that undertaking RCTs is problematic in some areas and has used other types of evidence where RCTs are not feasible. However, in common with other organisations that give evidence based policy advice, the UK NSC recognise that these kinds of studies represent the gold standard.
	For recommended standards of care the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) published a revised Green-Top clinical guideline, on 18 July 2012, to take into account any new evidence on the prevention of early-onset neonatal GBS disease. In addition, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published a new guideline on antibiotics for the prevention and treatment of early-onset neonatal infection, including GBS on 22 August 2012.
	National guidelines are developed to set the standards for high quality health care. In the prevention of early onset GBS disease, local maternity services should develop local guidelines (based on the RCOG's and NICE's national guideline) which all medical and midwifery staff would be expected to follow. The implementation of all guidelines should be audited regularly to confirm compliance and formulate an action plan for change in areas such as service provision education and training if the results of the audit are not satisfactory.
	The United Kingdom Standards for Microbiology Investigation B 58 is for processing swabs. The B 58's use would be restricted to specific requests rather than for routine ‘checking’. In such circumstances, the laboratory may decide whether to follow the United Kingdom Standards for Microbiology Investigation B 58 or their own standard operating procedure. The United Kingdom Standards for Microbiology Investigation (BSOP58-Processing Swabs for Group B Streptococcal Carriage) provides a standardised method for culture where clinicians decide to investigate specific patients with conditions considered to confer a high risk of infection.
	Data on the rates of potentially preventable early onset GBS infection are not collected. Laboratories across England, Wales and Northern Ireland submit data to the Health Protection Agency on .GBS infection. Submission of data is voluntary, therefore completeness of reporting has varied over time and across different parts of the country.
	The UK NSC's review focussed its detailed assessment on screening in the United States of America as this has been documented in the literature in some detail. However, the review also includes information on GBS across the world from a systematic review published in The Lancet.

Streptococcus

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what consideration he has given to introducing a pilot antenatal screening programme for group B streptococcus; and what the estimated cost would be;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the recent report by Group B Streptococcus Support on the introduction of screening in the UK;
	(3)  what steps he plans to take to prevent preventable cases of group B streptococcus infection in newborn babies.

Daniel Poulter: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises Ministers and the national health service in all four United Kingdom countries about all aspects of screening policy, including screening policy for group B streptococcus (GBS) carriage in pregnancy. In 2008-09 the UK NSC recommended that a national screening programme to test for GBS carriage in pregnancy using the enriched culture medium test should not be offered.
	The UK NSC is currently reviewing the evidence for screening for GBS carriage in pregnancy, a public consultation on the screening review opened on 16 July 2012 and will close on 23 October 2012. As part of the consultation, Group B Streptococcus Support's report, ‘Screening will save newborn lives: A case for the introduction of routine screening for group B streptococcus in late pregnancy’ will be discussed by the UK NSC. The Department expects to receive a recommendation from the UK NSC in the autumn.
	The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) published on 18 July 2012 a revised Green-Top guideline, originally published in November 2003, to take into account any new evidence on the prevention of early-onset neonatal GBS disease. In addition, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published a new guideline on antibiotics for the prevention and treatment of early-onset neonatal infection, including GBS on 22 August 2012.
	National guidelines are developed to set the standards for high quality health care. In the prevention of early onset GBS disease, local maternity services should develop local guidelines (based on the RCOG's and NICE'S national guideline) which all medical and midwifery staff would be expected to follow. The implementation of all guidelines should be audited regularly to confirm compliance and formulate an action plan for change in areas such as service.
	The RCOG has produced patient information, ‘Preventing group B streptococcus infection in newborn babies (information for you)’, for women and their families who are expecting a baby or are planning to get pregnant. Advice from that guidance also features on the NHS Choices website.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Air Pollution

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent studies his Department has conducted into the potential risks to staff of his Department and their families from exposure to air pollution during postings overseas; and what steps he has taken to mitigate such risks.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) sought advice from the UK Health Protection Agency this year. The FCO's health care provider is available to provide officers and their dependants with advice on the effect of air pollution in the context of their individual medical background. The FCO's Estates Department is considering the provision of air purifiers in offices and domestic accommodation where these might be necessary for health reasons.

British Overseas Territories

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the establishment of marine protected areas in the Overseas Territories.

Mark Simmonds: The Government's recent White Paper on the Overseas Territories set out our approach to develop a shared agenda for sustainable environmental management with the Territories. We are committed to working with Territories Governments to preserve their rich environmental heritage and have been developing with them a strategic approach to large-scale marine management. Two of the largest marine protected areas (MPAs) in the world have been established in British Overseas Territories; in the British Indian Ocean Territory a no-fishing MPA has been declared, while in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands a sustainable use MPA has been declared that allows fishing activity, subject to tight controls, that has led to Marine Stewardship Council certification. These, and other marine protection measures across the Territories, have been based on scientific research and evidence, and further work is under way to input into their future management. We will continue to work closely with the Territories to guide the sustainable management of their marine areas, whether this be through the use of MPAs, or other appropriate management tools, and where a Territory permits fishing or other economic activities to take place as part of their management approach we will encourage this to happen in the most sustainable manner.

Commonwealth

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent consideration the Eminent Persons' Group of the Commonwealth Heads of Government has given to the maximising of commercial opportunities between Commonwealth states.

Hugo Swire: The Eminent Persons Group made 106 recommendations to modernise and increase the relevance of the Commonwealth, which were presented to the Commonwealth Heads of Government in Perth in October 2011. Their report included a recommendation that the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) should mount programmes specifically for investment from developed Commonwealth countries into developing countries. This recommendation was adopted by Commonwealth states in Perth without reservation.

Ethiopia

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the (a) political and (b) human rights situation in Ethiopia; and what plans he has to assist the Ethiopian Government to improve that country's human rights record.

Mark Simmonds: On 21 September Hailemariam Desalegn was appointed as Ethiopia's Prime Minister in the first peaceful transition of power in the country's modern history. Progress on democratic governance and human rights in Ethiopia is, and will continue to be, a key British Government objective that we are actively supporting through our programmes and diplomacy. We have consistently raised concerns about human rights and the closing of political space with the Ethiopian authorities including in my recent meeting in New York with the Acting Foreign Minister. We will continue to pursue an open and honest dialogue on these issues with Hailemariam and his Government.

Gambia

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Government has had with the President of Gambia, and his officials on the execution of death row prisoners on 19 August 2012 and the future possibility of other death row prisoners being executed if the new moratorium is lifted.

Mark Simmonds: Since his speech on 19 August when President Jammeh pledged to begin executing death row prisoners, the UK has made our opposition to the sudden use of the death penalty in The Gambia very clear. On 25 August, the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), issued a statement expressing concern over the then unconfirmed reports of executions. Our high commissioner in Banjul has made several representations to the Government of The Gambia, including the Foreign Minister and the Attorney-General, on behalf of both the UK and the EU, both before and after the executions were confirmed. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has also made representations to the Gambian high commission in London.
	On 26 August, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Baroness Ashton, issued a statement condemning the executions and announcing that the EU would respond appropriately. On 12 September, acting as the local President of the EU, our high commissioner in Banjul delivered a written statement outlining the EU's position to the Gambian Foreign Minister.
	We welcome the statement issued by the Gambian Government on 14 September to reinstate a moratorium on the further use of the death penalty, although we note its conditional and non-binding nature. We will continue to work with international partners, especially the EU, to apply pressure where appropriate to help prevent further executions in the short term and to promote the abolition of the use of the death penalty in the long term.
	We support the concern expressed by Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, about the executions, and will seek opportunities, including within the UN system, to reinforce it. In November, the UN General Assembly will vote on a Resolution in favour of a world-wide moratorium on the death penalty, which we are actively supporting.

Huawei

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the appropriateness of operations in Britain of Huawei.

Hugo Swire: I welcome Huawei's presence in the UK and their plans to expand that presence further with a £1.3 billion investment and procurement plan. This investment will see an increase in Huawei's UK workforce to over 1,500. It is of course vital that the UK's communications infrastructure is robust and resilient against a whole range of threats, including potential cyber attacks. No system is completely invulnerable and the globalisation of the telecoms industry means we must pay close attention to the risks inherent in its supply chains. For that reason, we have set up a unique joint venture with Huawei in 2010 where Government experts and Huawei staff collaborate to provide assurance that their products meet government security standards prior to being deployed on UK networks.

JUSTICE

Driving Under Influence

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) men and (b) women were (i) convicted and (ii) served a custodial sentence for drink driving offences in each police authority in each year since 1997.

Jeremy Wright: The number of persons found guilty at all courts and given a custodial sentence for driving after consuming alcohol or taking drugs, by police force area, in England and Wales, for the period of 1997 to 2011 (latest available) can be viewed in Tables 1 and 2, which have been placed in the Library.
	Annual court proceedings data for 2012 are planned for publication in May 2013.

Prisoners: Per Capita Costs

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the cost per (a) prisoner and (b) place in (i) privately and (ii) publicly run prisons in 2012-13.

Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service does not hold this information for 2012-13. NOMS calculates the average cost per prisoner and cost per place based on actual net resource expenditure for prisons recorded on the NOMS central accounting system. These costs are expressed in terms of the average prison population and baseline Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA) figure for each prison during the accounting period.
	Average cost per prisoner and cost per place figures for private and public sector prisons are published with the Management Information Addendum to the NOMS Annual Report and Accounts after the end of each financial year.

Prisons

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the total planned budget for (a) privately and (b) publicly run prisons is in 2012-13;
	(2)  what the total budget was for (a) privately and (b) publicly run prisons in 2011-12.

Jeremy Wright: The initial total resource budget allocations for privately run prisons and publicly run prisons for the financial years 2011-12 and 2012-13 is given as follows.
	
		
			 Total resource budgets 
			 £ million 
			  2011-12 2012-13 
			 Public sector prisons 1,845 1,751 
		
	
	
		
			 Private prisons 343 434 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are subject to rounding. 2. Immigration Removal Centres at Dover, Haslar, Lindholme and Morton Hall are not included. 3. Amounts are not directly comparable as there are a number of factors which can cause differences between years, such as changes in size and security category of prisons, the mix of prisoners (including gender and age), and the internal regime and rehabilitation work provided. 4. Figures reflect HMP Birmingham moving from the public to private sector; opening of HMP Oakwood and HMP Thameside as new private prisons; closure of HMP Latchmere House. 5. Budgets are subject to change throughout the financial year to reflect operational business decisions. 
		
	
	The figures are the amounts directly allocated to public and private sector prison budgets. They do not include budgets for expenditure incurred at regional or national level. At the end of each financial year, actual expenditure as recorded in the NOMS annual accounts is analysed in retrospect to produce the published prison costs which incorporate all NOMS expenditure attributable to private and public sector prisons.

Prisons

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the occupancy rate was for each prison as a percentage of population to in-use certified normal accommodation on 30 September 2012.

Jeremy Wright: The information requested is published online as follows:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/statistics/hmps/monthly-figures/prison-population-monthly-sept2012.docx
	Published data relate to the last working Friday of any given month. The nearest date to your request is 28 September.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible error with data entry and processing.

Prisons

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the direct resource outturn was for each prison in 2011-12.

Jeremy Wright: As part of the Government's Transparency Agenda, the Department publishes full details of outturn expenditure for each private and public sector prison in England and Wales after the end of the financial year. The information for financial year 2011-12 is due to be published as an Addendum to the NOMS Annual Report and Accounts on 25 October 2012 and will be available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/prisons-and-probation/prison-probation-performance-info
	A copy will also be placed in the House Library.

Roads: Accidents

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what (a) meetings and (b) correspondence his Department has had with the Department for Transport to discuss the effect on road users of the operation of the criminal justice system in the last 12 months.

Jeremy Wright: Officials in the Ministry of Justice and Department for Transport are regularly in contact with one another, in writing and in person, to discuss road safety issues.

Roads: Accidents

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will undertake a review of sentencing guidelines for incidents involving road users, similar to that conducted for assault cases to ensure that the sentences are effective and take appropriate account of the harm to the victim.

Jeremy Wright: Severe maximum penalties are available for serious road traffic offences. Sentencing guidelines are a matter for the independent Sentencing Council. Guidelines provide non-exhaustive lists of common aggravating and mitigating factors, and courts retain wide discretion to treat particular circumstances of individual cases as aggravating factors, including injury to others. Crown Prosecution Service guidance to prosecutors requires them to highlight the full facts of a case, actively obtaining information on the impact and effect of incidents, allowing the courts to sentence appropriately.

Roads: Accidents

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will send a representative of his Department to attend the next meeting of the Department for Transport's Cycle Safety Forum to discuss undertaking a review of the criminal justice system so that it better protects road users.

Jeremy Wright: We have asked Department for Transport officials to keep Ministry of Justice officials informed of any relevant discussions at the Cycling Stakeholder Forum and its sub-groups.

Roads: Accidents

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to respond to British Cycling's correspondence of 1 June 2012 requesting a review of the criminal justice system so that it better protects road users.

Jeremy Wright: The Department for Transport are taking the lead in coordinating a cross-government response to British Cycling’s letter of 1 June.

CABINET OFFICE

Advisory Services

Kate Green: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  when he expects to announce details of the Advice Services Fund for England for 2013-14; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he plans to announce the outcome of his Department's Strategic Review of Advice Services; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The Cabinet Office intends to publish the review of advice services shortly, along with further details of how funding for not-for-profit advice services in England will be used.

Big Society Capital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what grants or loans Big Society Capital has made to youth-focussed projects since its inception.

Nick Hurd: Big Society Capital is independent. It details investments on its website at:
	http://www.bigsocietycapital.com/how-we-invest

Civil Servants: Redundancy

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants were made redundant and re-employed as a consultant for the civil service in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007, (d) 2008, (e) 2009, (f) 2010, (g) 2011 and (h) 2012 to date.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated October 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many civil servants were made redundant and re-employed as a consultant for the Civil Service in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007, (d) 2008, (e) 2009, (f) 2010, (g) 2011 and (h) 2012 to date. (122702)
	The Office for National Statistics has statistics on the number of civil servants made redundant from 2006 onwards. However we do not collect information on re-employment as consultants. Therefore we are unable to provide an answer to your question.

Cybercrime

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent steps the Government has taken to conquer threats in cyberspace; and if he will make a statement.

Chloe Smith: This Government have committed £650 million over four years to the National Cyber Security Programme, and the cross-Government Cyber Security Strategy:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/cyber-security-strategy
	sets out how we will support economic prosperity while protecting national security and safeguarding the public by building a more trusted and resilient digital environment.
	The Government will provide an update on progress against the objectives of the Cyber Security Strategy one year on from its publication.

Lone Parents

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many single parents were (a) in employment and (b) unemployed in (i) Ashfield constituency, (ii) Nottinghamshire, (iii) the East Midlands and (iv) the UK in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated October 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what recent estimate has been made of the number of single parents who were (a) in employment and (b) unemployed in (i) Ashfield constituency, (ii) Nottinghamshire, (iii) the East Midlands and (iv) nationally in each of the last five years (123542).
	For the UK, the latest information available is for January to December 2011. In January to December 2011 there were 1.08 million lone parents with dependent children in employment in the UK and 201,000 lone parents with dependent children who were unemployed. It has also been possible to provide estimates for employed and unemployed lone parents in the East Midlands and for employed lone parents in Nottinghamshire. These estimates can be found in the table. Due to small sample sizes it has not been possible to provide estimates for lone parents in Ashfield or for unemployed lone parents in Nottinghamshire.
	
		
			 Number of lone parents(1) with dependent children(2) by employment status, January to December 2007-11, UK, East Midlands and Nottinghamshire 
			 Thousand 
			  Employed Unemployed 
			  UK East Midlands Nottinghamshire UK East Midlands 
			 2007 1,029 75 11 111 5 
			 2008 1,068 75 14 140 11 
			 2009 1,093 79 16 172 13 
			 2010 1,086 76 15 182 16 
			 2011 1,079 78 14 201 18 
			 (1) People aged 16 to 64. (2) Dependent children are children under 16 and those aged 16 to 18 who are never married and are in full-time education. Source: Annual Population Survey household datasets

Child Care

Owen Smith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many childcare places his Department provides on its estate; what the cost is of providing such places; how many such places his Department provided in 2010; what the cost was of providing such places in 2010; what plans he has for changes in the provision of such childcare places; and what the number of places will be once any such changes have been implemented.

Francis Maude: Child care places are available to all Cabinet Office staff with children.
	In 2010 the Cabinet Office subsidised 164 places on the Westminster Play Scheme at a total cost of £2,132.
	The Cabinet Office has no plans to change the provisions for the play scheme.

Population

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of the increase in the UK population between 2001 and 2011, as reported in the recent census, was due to net foreign immigration in that period plus (a) the children subsequently born in the UK to those immigrants and (b) all children born in the UK in the same period to all foreign born mothers.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated October 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of the increase in the UK population between 2001 and 2011, as reported in the recent census, was due to net foreign immigration in that period plus (a) the children subsequently born in the UK to those immigrants and (b) all children born in the UK in the same period to all foreign born mothers (123518).
	The exact information requested, on the proportion of the increase in the UK population between 2001 and 2011 that was due to net foreign immigration, is not available. While ONS has released the first set of census estimates for England and Wales, UK estimates will not be available until all of the census offices have published the necessary data. At time of writing, this is expected to be December 2012.
	The recent census release identified that approximately 56 per cent of the increase in the population of England and Wales between 2001 and 2011 was due to net migration. However, this is only a proxy for net foreign immigration as it will include both UK born migrants and moves between England and Wales and the other UK constituent countries.
	ONS is due to revise population estimates for England and Wales for the period between 2001 and 2011 to reflect the results of the 2011 Census. This will include an estimate of the population change that is due to net international migration, which is a better proxy for net foreign immigration as it will not include moves made between England and Wales and the other UK countries. However, these estimates will not be available until December 2012.
	During the 10-year period from 2001 to 2010 inclusive, there were 1,411,519 live births in England and Wales to mothers born outside the UK (21.4 per cent of all live births in England and Wales during this period). Figures for live births where the mother is non-UK born are compiled from birth registration data. Information on country of birth of mothers is provided by the informant at registration.
	It is not possible to identify the number of children subsequently born in the UK to immigrants who arrived between 2001 and 2010 as information on year of mothers' arrival in the UK is not collected at birth registration. This means that it is not possible to distinguish between (i) births to mothers who were born outside the UK and migrated to the UK between 2001 and 2010 and (ii) births to mothers born outside the UK who migrated to the UK prior to 2001.

Population: Sussex

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office by what proportion the over 85 years population in (a) Mid Sussex and (b) West Sussex is forecast to rise over the next 20 years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated October 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office by what proportion the over 85 population in (a) Mid Sussex and (b) West Sussex is forecast to rise over the next 20 years.
	Estimates of future population are available as population projections. The most recent sub national population projections are based on mid-year population estimates for 2011 but only project the population growth for 10 years to 2021, therefore the 2010-based sub national projections have been used to respond to your Parliamentary Question. These projections do not take account of results of the 2011 Census.
	Sub national population projections are not forecasts and do not attempt to predict the impact of future government policies, changing economic circumstances or the capacity of an area to accommodate a change in population. They provide an indication of the future size and age structure of the population if recent demographic trends continued.
	Between mid-2012 and mid-2032, the over 85 population in Mid Sussex is, rounded to the nearest 100, projected to rise from 3,000 to 6,800, an increase of 122 percent. Looking at this as a proportion of the total population, the over 85 population is projected to increase by approximately two percentage points from 2.2 to 4.4 per cent.
	Between mid-2012 and mid-2032, the over 85 population in West Sussex, rounded to the nearest 100, is projected to rise from 23,500 to 47,000, an increase of 101 percent. Looking at this as a proportion of the total population, the over 85 population is projected to increase by approximately two percentage points from 2.9 to 5.0 per cent.
	The over 85 age group has been defined as those aged 86 and over.

Public Services Network

Julian Huppert: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of whether service providers for the Public Services Network will achieve certification for all services in this financial year.

Nick Hurd: holding answer 17 October 2012
	The certification of Public Services Network services is a new process and we expect to see a steady stream of services being certified this year.

Training

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what media or public speaking training Ministers in his Department have received since May 2010.

Francis Maude: Since May 2010, no Cabinet Office Ministers have undertaken public speaking or media training at taxpayers' expense.

Unemployment: Nottinghamshire

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) two parent non-working families and (b) single parent non-working families in (i) Nottinghamshire and (ii) Ashfield constituency.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated October 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what recent estimate there is of the number of (a) two parent non-working families and (b) single parent non-working families in (i) Nottinghamshire and (ii) Ashfield constituency (123544).
	It is not possible to provide reliable estimates on two-parent or single parent non-working families for Nottinghamshire or Ashfield constituency due to small sample sizes.